If some of you guys think the fuss over this statue is overblown, you have to start realizing that in society the only time something really matters is when it affects women. It doesn't matter if its as trivial as a statue, or life and death issues. For example, males commit suicide at a rate of 4 to 1 over females. Guess what, nobody cares (and that's just one example of many).

Also, there's nothing brave and bold about Patrick Klepeck writing this article or his female friendly stance on these issues. Our entire media is feminist. Now, a journalist who criticizes aspects of feminism, even the slightest, that takes brass balls, because you risk ostracizing yourself or even losing your job. So you guys should stop congratulating Klepeck as if he's some type of trailblazer. This article is as mainstream and safe as it gets. I get the sense that he likes to "troll", whether it be his fellow male gamers who he looks down upon, or jukeboxes.

It's presented as if females are usually silenced, so we're giving them a voice finally. Meanwhile, our entire media is female-centric (like HuffPo for example), and issues affecting women are discussed all day, every day, not to mention our government and schools who care mostly about women. As a man, I'm more annoyed by commercials on television that treat men as total morons and women as SuperSassySmart who have to "tolerate" the male moron, than this statue, even though I personally don't like it and think it's grotesque.

Video games are one of last forms of media that doesn't cater and pander to women, and that won't do. That's one reason you see a backlash from guys when this subject comes up.

Final politically incorrect note: one reason the video game industry has been male dominated is because males have always been more interested in video games than females. I'm not exactly sure why that is, but from my observation its' mostly natural and not a social construct. It's not because men are evil misogynists, feel "threatened" by women, or any other phantom reasons. Misogyny exists of course, as does misandry, but it's overblown. Most men love women, want to be near women, enjoy working with them, and like doing things for women. I do.

Oh god, this. This so much. You sir, I want to shake your hand. Finally, someone who sees the light and isn't randomly spouting feminazi propaganda in a feeble attempt to get laid. I totally agree with you, video games are one of the last things that are male-dominated, and I'll admit, I like it that way.

The reason all these feminists are bitching about how "sexist" and "misogynistic" video games are, is because this is what's getting more attention these days. If something else was in the media day in and day out, they would leave us alone. They just move on from fad to fad, and video games happens to be the most recent one. Sadly, though, with everyone apparently on their side, it seems as if video games are going to start changing, and for what? They're gonna leave the games industry in disrepair because they wanted games catered specifically to them for one or two years. By then, no one's gonna want to play games anymore, because feminists were bitching every step of the way.

I just hope people who are truly passionate about games holds on and waits for this feminist cancer to pass us by, hopefully by then, they haven't done too much damage to the industry.

I think you're both way off the mark here. Video games are no longer male dominated. That mentality has to end. Its gone beyond the basement.

What's with the "basement" comments? Guys have always played games in their bedroom and living room too.

Games are now being made for everyone.

Games have always been made for everyone. However, on average guys have been more interested in gaming than girls, although obviously girls do play games too and always have.

It is something gamers have to come to terms with.

Nobody needs to come to terms with anything. It's the opposite, most guys love girls who plays games.

That's just a dirty word blokes on the internet like to throw around like mud. (feminism)

Perhaps there are reasons for that. Everything associated with feminism isn't always positive and it deserves criticism and scrutiny.

A lot of female gamers wouldn't consider themselves feminists. A lot of them just want to invest in female characters that aren't scantily clad sex objects.

Sounds good, I'd like more realistic female characters as well, like Elena from Uncharted for example.

Not only is wanting gaming to be "male-dominated" weird its also extremely male chauvinistic and essentially sexist. I'm calling that out to you as a bloke. If you think this is going to go away, I think you need to get out of the basement and realise gaming is expanding. Its not just for the lads anymore.

I could be wrong but I think Missacre is a woman. And you aren't helping your cause by throwing "basement" in there again. You have a low opinion of gamers because they're male huh? Are you sexist or something? Gaming has never been "just for the lads". Women have had decades to get into game programming and design, but they, IN GENERAL, haven't been as interested as men.

This article is about a tasteless and gross statue. It's one example among many of tasteless and gross things in gaming. The difference is that this one gets attention because it's about women. I don't even like this stupid statue. The double standard that violence against women is reprehensible and violence against men is entertainment, is becoming too much of a pink elephant in the room to ignore.

Most men love women, want to be near women, enjoy working with them, and like doing things for women. I do.

... you just don't want to hear their opinions on things.

I find women who are critical of aspects of feminism to be more interesting, most of the stuff said in the article is the same old same old we get from the mainstream media day in and day out. Boring.

I don't know what you think feminism is but thinking this statue or sort of horrendous and sends a bad message to them isn't really any sort of radical statement.

The statue, which I don't like either, doesn't exist in a vacuum, it's part of industry that makes murder simulators where the people being decapitated, mutilated, and bloodied are 90+% male. I wonder how many of these girls logged off after their post and gleefully took part in that. This also happened during the Duke Nukem controversy or any time something might even be mildly offensive to women.

Something only matters when women are affected. I believe that's one reason you see a backlash on the net when it comes up. Do you really believe everyone who dissents or disagrees is a "creepy neckbeard loser in a basement cave troll misogynist"? No, you don't.

If some of you guys think the fuss over this statue is overblown, you have to start realizing that in society the only time something really matters is when it affects women. It doesn't matter if its as trivial as a statue, or life and death issues. For example, males commit suicide at a rate of 4 to 1 over females. Guess what, nobody cares (and that's just one example of many).

Also, there's nothing brave and bold about Patrick Klepeck writing this article or his female friendly stance on these issues. Our entire media is feminist. Now, a journalist who criticizes aspects of feminism, even the slightest, that takes brass balls, because you risk ostracizing yourself or even losing your job. So you guys should stop congratulating Klepeck as if he's some type of trailblazer. This article is as mainstream and safe as it gets. I get the sense that he likes to "troll", whether it be his fellow male gamers who he looks down upon, or jukeboxes.

It's presented as if females are usually silenced, so we're giving them a voice finally. Meanwhile, our entire media is female-centric (like HuffPo for example), and issues affecting women are discussed all day, every day, not to mention our government and schools who care mostly about women. As a man, I'm more annoyed by commercials on television that treat men as total morons and women as SuperSassySmart who have to "tolerate" the male moron, than this statue, even though I personally don't like it and think it's grotesque.

Video games are one of last forms of media that doesn't cater and pander to women, and that won't do. That's one reason you see a backlash from guys when this subject comes up.

Final politically incorrect note: one reason the video game industry has been male dominated is because males have always been more interested in video games than females. I'm not exactly sure why that is, but from my observation its' mostly natural and not a social construct. It's not because men are evil misogynists, feel "threatened" by women, or any other phantom reasons. Misogyny exists of course, as does misandry, but it's overblown. Most men love women, want to be near women, enjoy working with them, and like doing things for women. I do.

I totally agree this statue was lame (but I wouldn't use the word "offensive"; you kind of have to be above things like this). However, I really, truly wish we could have these conversations without the constant tones of "the industry obviously only treats women like this."

How many men do any GB readers know with the super muscular, broad shoulder, 0% body fat, perfect-chizzled-chin look that virtually every male video game character has? Video games are suffering no shortage of manwhores.

The difference is, while the male form is often idealized, it is rarely objectified. It's an important distinction. When male characters are presented as solely a function of desire instead of active participants with agency, then you'd have a similar scenario. But that doesn't happen; and even if it did, it doesn't justify anything. The idea that 'men have it just as bad' doesn't excuse the fact that sexual objectification -- of anyone -- is problematic.

This statue represents the most base scenario of the objectification of women -- it's just a pair of clean, pert tits framed by the gory removal of all possible agency. It doesn't represent the entirety of women in games or gaming, but it exemplifies the persistent inequality in how gender and sex is represented, and to who, and why.

Just because you (or I) are not the 'idealized' man, that doesn't mean the idealized man is reductive of us or reflective of us; it represents a power fantasy. This statue also represents a power fantasy. That's the whole problem.

I think it's worth talking about. I think it's sad and telling that so many duders come out of the woodwork to 'be offended at your offense' and feel embattled.

No one should feel threatened by this discussion. Criticizing a tits-out statue is not defaming men, manliness or threatening any man's right to like tits. It's problematizing the persistent idea that women are frequently reduced to functions of the sexual gratification of men.

Males are less sexually objectified than females because female sexuality is much more powerful than male sexualty. Most people would rather look at the female form than the male form.

Those most responsible for the objectification of women in our modern society are... women. Females in entertainment, especially the music industry, present themselves as sex objects all day, every day. And love all the power and attention it brings them.

@Jumbs: If you think murdering hundreds of 'male characters' in video games is the same issue as objectifying women to market a video game, I don't know what to say.

I agree, you had no counter-argument. It's interesting how with the wave of a hand you brushed off the endless murder of male characters in video games as if it meant nothing.

You don't see the hypocrisy at all? That these same people talking about "violence against women" will kill male characters in video games with a big smile on their face, that violence is used as a marketing tool to sell games, and almost all that violence is against male characters? It's not just this statue. This has happened a lot lately.

@OneManX: But the place where I think this article could use some help is, provide the counter arguement,

Most public figures, especially men, would never come out and give a counter argument and risk losing their jobs and ruining their careers. Not just with this statue thing, any type of male/female issue. If you question anything regarding sexism in the mainstream and don't fall in line with feminist orthodoxy you'll be equated to a misogynistsexistneckbeardbasementdweller.

As bad as comment sections are sometimes, that's what you need to read to find more honest opinions that don't fall in line with menbad/womengood. This article reads like something on Jezebel.

Some of these same people who are morally outraged by this statue have also murdered hundreds of thousands of male characters in video games in every conceivable bloody way for years. I'm sure not a peep from them. Actually, they enjoy it immensely.